ARAN ISLANDS (TRANSPORT) ACT, 1936

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR PROMOTING THE MAINTENANCE OF AN EFFICIENT STEAMSHIP SERVICE BETWEEN THE CITY OF GALWAY AND THE ARAN ISLANDS AND TO AUTHORISE THE PAYMENT OF SUBSIDIES TO PERSONS CARRYING ON SUCH SERVICE. [24th July, 1936.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS OF SAORSTÁT EIREANN AS FOLLOWS:—

1 The Minister.

1.—In this Act the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

2 Contracts for steamer service to the Aran Islands.

2.—(1) The Minister, either alone or jointly with any other Minister or Ministers, may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, from time to time contract with any person for the carrying on by such person of a steamship service available to the public for the transport of passengers and goods for reward between the City of Galway and the Aran Islands and may, with the consent aforesaid, by such contract make provision for all or any of the following matters, that is to say:—

• (a) the vessel or vessels to be used for the purpose of such service, and the maintenance, repair, and insurance of such vessel or vessels;

• (b) the frequency and times of such service;

• (c) the charges to be made for the carriage of passengers and goods by such service;

• (d) the duration, continuation, renewal, and termination of such contract;

• (e) the disposal, on the termination of such contract, of any vessel used for the purpose of such service, including the transfer of such vessel to the Minister;

• (f) any other matter which appears to the Minister and every (if any) other Minister who is a party to such contract to be necessary or desirable for promoting the efficiency and remunerativeness of such service.

• (2) The Minister may by any contract made under this section undertake, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to the limitations imposed by this Act, to pay, at such times and subject to such conditions as shall be stated in such contract, an annual subsidy or an occasional subsidy or both such subsidies to the person who is for the time being carrying on the steamship service which is the subject of such contract.

• (3) The authority conferred by the foregoing sub-sections of this section to enter into such contract as is mentioned in those sub-sections shall extend to continuing, renewing, varying, and terminating, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, any such contract but subject, as regards so much of such contract as relates to a subsidy, to the limitations imposed by this Act.

3 Limitations on subsidies under this Act.

3.—The following limitations shall apply to the payment of subsidies under this Act or under any contract made under this Act, that is to say:—

• (a) no annual subsidy shall be paid in respect of any year or part of a year subsequent to the year 1945;

• (b) the total amount payable on foot of annual subsidy or subsidies in respect of any year shall not exceed the sum of three hundred pounds;

• (c) occasional subsidies shall be payable only by way of contribution to expenses actually incurred in the overhaul or repair of a vessel used for the purpose of the service in relation to which such subsidy is payable;

• (d) no occasional subsidy shall be paid in respect of any overhaul or repair which is not done and completed before the 1st day of January, 1946.

4 Expenses.

4.—All expenses incurred by the Minister under this Act (including the payment of subsidies under a contract made under this Act) shall, to such extent as shall be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance and subject, as regards subsidies, to the limitations imposed by this Act, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

5 Short Title.

5.—This Act may be cited as the Aran Islands (Transport) Act, 1936.